The metal orchard irrigation nozzle, as the core component of the precision irrigation system for orchards, directly affects the water and fertilizer utilization efficiency, the uniformity of fruit tree growth, and the service life of equipment. Long term exposure to high humidity, high salt (coastal orchards), strong ultraviolet radiation, and pesticide residues outdoors can lead to problems such as blockage, corrosion, wear, and seal failure. The following systematically elaborates on maintenance points from four aspects: daily inspections, periodic maintenance, fault handling, and technical upgrades, and provides actionable solutions based on the actual scene of the orchard.
1、 Daily inspection: the core of preventive maintenance
Spray uniformity detection method: Set up 9 grid sampling points within the coverage area of the nozzle (3 points at 1m, 3m, and 5m from the nozzle), collect the spray water volume for 1 minute using a measuring cup, and calculate the flow deviation rate at each point.
The normal deviation should be ≤ ± 15%. If the single point deviation is greater than 30%, it is necessary to check for nozzle blockage or abnormal pressure.
Tools: measuring cup (capacity ≥ 500ml), stopwatch, spray range measuring tape (accuracy 0.1m).
Key areas for appearance inspection: nozzle aperture: Use a magnifying glass (10x) to observe whether the aperture is blocked by sediment/algae. The normal aperture should be consistent with the design value (such as 0.8mm/1.2mm).
Sealing ring: Check whether the O-ring is aging and cracking (manifested as water leakage or nozzle rotation sticking).
Bracket structure: Confirm that the nozzle lifting rod is not corroded or stuck, and that the rotating bearing is well lubricated (with a rotational resistance of less than 0.5N · m).
Threshold for pressure and flow monitoring parameters: working pressure: design pressure ± 10% (e.g. design pressure of 3bar, allowable range of 2.7-3.3bar).
Single nozzle flow rate: monitored by a flow meter, with a deviation of ≤± 5% from the design value (such as a design flow rate of 1.2m ³/h for a Φ 12mm nozzle, with an allowable range of 1.14-1.26m ³/h).
Exception handling: If the pressure is too low, check the water pump/filter. If the flow rate is abnormal, check for water leakage or nozzle blockage in the pipeline network.
2、 Periodic maintenance: precise maintenance in different time periods
Quarterly deep cleaning operation process: Disassemble the nozzle: Close the valve, use a special wrench to rotate the nozzle body counterclockwise to avoid thread damage caused by brute force.
Soak cleaning: Soak the nozzle, filter, and splitter in a 5% citric acid solution (acidic soil orchard) or a 2% sodium carbonate solution (alkaline soil orchard) for 2 hours to dissolve the scale.
High pressure flushing: Use a 20 bar water gun to backwash the inside of the nozzle, with the water flow direction opposite to the spraying direction.
Component replacement: Replace nozzles and broken sealing rings with wear greater than 0.3mm (recommended to use original parts).
Cost comparison: Maintenance method, single nozzle cost (yuan), time consumption (minutes), water saving rate
Quarterly cleaning 8-12 15% increase by 25%
Replace 45-80 60 0 after malfunction
Annual anti-corrosion treatment applicable scenario: salt alkali orchard (soil conductivity>1.5mS/cm)
Near shore orchard (less than 5km from the coastline)
Process flow: Surface treatment: Use sandpaper (# 240) to polish the nozzle bracket to St3 level (exposing metallic luster).
Primer coating: Spray epoxy zinc rich primer (dry film thickness ≥ 80 μ m), bake at 70 ℃ for 1 hour to cure.
Topcoat protection: Apply acrylic polyurethane topcoat (salt spray resistance ≥ 1000h) with a dry film thickness ≥ 60 μ m.
Effect verification: Neutral salt spray testing shows that the lifespan of the nozzle is extended by 3-5 times after anti-corrosion treatment.